Sander



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet. .1,

H. L. GRAHAM.

' SANDER.

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2 Sheets Sheet 2.

H. L. GRAHAM.

(No Model.)

SANDER.

No. 601,095. `PatentedMar.22,1898.

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, /NVENTOH ATTORNEYS wlw/5535s..'

UNITED STATES!" PATENT' OFFICE.

HERBERT LINCOLN GRAHAM, OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.

SANDER.

` SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,095, dated March22, 1898.

applic-aibn nea .Tune 16,1897. serial No'. 640,996. (No model.) v

To all whom it may concern.-v

Be it known that I, HERBERQI1 LINCOLN GRA- HAM, of Augusta, inthe countyof Richmond and State of Georgia, have invented a new and ImprovedSander, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in sanders adapted particularlyto be used in connection with railway-locomotives. Its object is toprovide a sanding device which will be certain in its operation and willfeed the sand rapidly or slowly, as may be desired by the engineer, andwhich is also not liable toy become clogged or refuse to work.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a partial side elevation of a locomotive-boiler and with asand-box mounted thereon, the sand-box being in section. Fig. 2 is across-section taken through the top of the boiler and lower portion ofthe sand-box. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a sand-box stand. y Fig. 4is an end View of the guiding device which holds the air-jet centrallywithin its surrounding tube. Fig. 5 is a crosssectional elevation of mydevice, showing a construction whichl varies slightly in some parts fromthe construction shown in the preceding views. Fig. 6 is-a bottomplan,'par tially in section; and Fig. 7 is a partial longitudinalsection of a modified construction of my device.

My invention relates to an improved mechanism for delivering sand fromthe sand-box of a locomotive to the rails; and it consists of certainimproved constructions, which will be hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out. K y

In the drawings, A represents a portion of the boiler upon which thesand-box is mount-- ed, and B the base, supported by the boiler andcarrying the sand-box B; Beneath the sand-box are placed two tubes D,which may be made, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as a part of the stand B,or, as shown in Fig. 5, entirely separate from the stand. These tubesare preferably straight and extend entirely through the base. At one endthey are provided with a cap D5 or other suitable closure and at theother end with a plug D4. The

caps and plugs may be removed, leaving a free passage through the entirelength of the tubes, so that they may be readily cleaned out if from anycause they become clogged. The tubes D are connected by passages D' withthe interior of the sand-box. This connection should be of such a formthat the sand will be delivered by gravity to the interior of the tubesD.

Passing through the cap D5 is ya `small tube or pipe E, which has itsnozzle projecting slightly beyond thepassage D' and contracted so thatthe opening is of less area than the bore of the pipe. This contractionof the jet is preferably but not absolutely necessary. The portion ofthe tube D immediately beyond the jet is also preferably contracted, asshown at D2. Where the pipe D is made from ordinary tubing, thiscontraction may be obtained by inserting a casting, as shown in Fig. 5.Where the tube is formed in a casting, the contracted portion may beformed integral with the tube, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3. The two tubes Darevsimilarly provided with jet-pipes E, but said jet-pipes are arrangedtopoint in opposite directions. One of these pipes supplies the sand forone rail and the other for the other rail. The pipe E is connected by apipe F with a pipe F, which leads to the cabof the engineer, and isprovided at a point within sight and hearing of the engineer withawhistle H, which is constantly connected with the pipe and will blowWhenever air under pressure is within the pipe. This pipe F is providedbeyond the whistle with an operating-valve I, located so as to beconvenient to the engineer. At the end D2 of the tube D, opposite theentrance of the blast-pipe E, is connected a pipe or passage G, whichcommunicates with a pipe G', leading to the track-rail.

The pipe F is connected with the air-reservoir upon the locomotive. Ifthe valve I be open, air will be admitted through the pipe F tothenozzles of the blast-pipes E and will force the sand lying in the tube Dthrough the contracted portion D2 of the tube and propel the same intothe pipe G and thus through the pipe G' to the rail. As soon as the airis admitted the whistle H will begin to blow and will continue blowingas long as the air is turned on. This will call the attention of theengineer' to the fact that sand is being applied and will prevent hisforgetting that fact and allowing the sand to waste. Being constantlywarned that the sand is being applied, 11e will shut it oft as soon asits use is not needed. In consequence there will be a considerableeconomy in the use of the sand, and such a contingency as being withoutsand will be prevented. The amount of sand delivered to the rail willdepend upon the amount of air used. The greater the force of the blastthe greater amount of sand will be carried over to the delivery-pipe GQand the whistle will indicate this by its volume of sound. The greaterthe amount of air being used the greater the pressure in the pipe F andconsequently the louder the tone of the whistle. The engineer will thusbe enabled to gage the amount of sand used to the necessity of the case,which will result in a further saving of the sand.

My device does not prevent using the ordinary feeding device, which isshown in the drawings, (see Fig. 5,) and consists ot a shaft C', passingthrough a cavity C?, formed in the bottom of the base B, and said shafthaving disks C3 mounted thereon,provided with openings C4, adapted toregister with one end of a sand passage or tube C. The shaft C isprovided with a cra-nk C5 upon one end, which may be connected with anysuitable device so as to be operated by the engineer. This ordinarysand-feedin g device may be left upon the sand-box, if desired, so thatit may be used in ease anything should prevent using my improvedair-feeding device.

It is desirable that the end of the tube D which receives the sand blastshould be closed by a removable plug D4, in order that the part which isliable to wear may be readily removed and replaced. ln Fig. 5 therighthand end of the tube D is shown as provided with a sleeve D3, whichconnects said tube with the pipe G, and the plug D4 is inserted in theouter end of the sleeve D3.

In case the feeding-opening B in the dome of the sand-box should becomeclogged it is a very simple matter to remove the plug DA1 and insert ahose therein which has been connected with the air-supply. As the air isturned on it will blow out any obstruction, and in use when the cap D5is in place it will force air upward through the sand in the box B andthoroughly stir the same, thus preventing any possibility of caking. Adevice E' is attached to the inner portion of the blast-pipe E. Thisserves to hold the pipe centrally in its tube. The tube E may be readilyremoved by taking oft' the cap D, and when this is done and the plug D4removed it leaves a straight passage entirely through the sand-box base,so that it maybe readily cleaned if clogged. Itis evident that any formof vapor may be used to operate my device. It will in practice, however,be operated by air.

A still simpler form of construction is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In thisasingle pipe dis provided, extending across the base B beneath thesand-box BC rlhe pipe (l is connected at the middle of its length withthe sand-box by an opening d and by a horizontal pipe L with thecompressed-air supply. \Vithin the pipe L, which extends lengthwise theboiler, is a pipe c, connected to the pipe F, leading from the cab andcarrying the air-supply. The inner end of the pipe c is closed andterminates beneath the connection d to the sandbox. The pipe e isprovided with two small holes e', located in its side and facing theopposite ends of the discharge-pipe d. The ends of the pipe (Z areconnected with a pipe CG, as shown in Fig. G. By this construction thedevice is much simplilied without impairing its efficiency. Theair-blast when admitted through the pipe F discharges through theopposite holes e, throwing the sand in both directions. lt may also bereadily applied to any sand-box now in place without changing theordinary hand-feeding mechanism.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- A pneumatic sander for locomotives comprising astraight pipe located beneath the sand-box and extending across thesame, a connection from the said pipe upward to the sand-box, wherebythe sand is fed to the nozzle by gravity, a conveying-pipe leading fromone end of the nozzle-pipe, and an airblast pipe entering the other endand terminating in a nozzle just beyond the connection to the sand-box,and removable ends to said pipe, whereby it may bc readily cleaned.

HERBERT LINCOLN GRAHAM.

lVitnesses:

ROBIN H. PATTERSON, GUsTAvUs R. ALLEN.

IOC

